Crawling Back To Apologise
by spiffy the scribbler
Summary: He made the mistake of thinking he wanted space, when all he needed was her. Oneshot, Post-war post-Hogwarts. Written in 10 minutes or less...


I wrote this in five minutes due to inspiration from the playlist I was listening to, so it's a combo of two songs. The two songs represent each individual in the story - there's only two, so you'll be able to keep up.

Harry's song - Crawling Back To You by the Backstreet Boys (kind of lame, but it made its way to the playlist somehow)

Cho's song - Apologise by Timbaland feat. One Republic (one of my favourite songs at the moment)

Some of the italics near the end aren't actual lyrics, but I've kind of twisted them around to suit the story. You can probably tell which ones.

_

* * *

_

_Everybody knows_

_That I was such a fool_

_To ever let go of you_

He punched her floor number on the lift. He didn't know how she'd react, what she'd say; what she'd do.

_But baby I was wrong._

It was in this very elevator he'd said the words that had ceased all contact between them. This very elevator in which her tears had fallen.

_And yeah I know I said_

_We'd be better off alone_

Which obviously had been some stupid vision he'd had. Better off alone? Pssh. He was better off with a knut for every time a cow jumped over the moon. And even though was quite possible, didn't happen very often.

_It was time that we move on_

He didn't think he'd ever meant it. It was strange to think that he ever did. Without her, life was… Well, it sucked.

_I know I broke your heart_

_I didn't mean to break your heart_

He stepped out of the lift and turned left – the way he always had when he came to visit, which hadn't been very recent. About a month now.

And then he was standing at her door.

_But baby here I am_

He had no idea how long he stood there, at odds with himself to just go ahead and knock, or to run for fear that she'd be throwing curses the moment she saw him. He shook his head, sighing and raking his fingers through the jet-black hair on his head. 'Absolutely hopeless,' she'd called it. Gathering all the resolve he could muster, he tapped the door with his knuckles. He was, quite essentially, crawling on his hands and knees back to her.

_Banging on your front door_

_My pride spilled on the floor_

_My hands and knees are bruised_

_And I'm crawling back to you_

Regardless of whether she answered or not, he'd had to eat his words and pick up the pieces of his shattered pride. He'd said he didn't need her anymore.

How wrong could a bloke _be?_

_Begging for a second chance_

_Are you gonna let me in?_

_I was runnin' from the truth_

_Now I'm crawling back to you_

'Who is it?' he heard a familiar voice call.

He hesitated for long moments, his hands growing sweaty before saying, 'It's me.'

The voice inside yelled back, 'Who's me?'

Again he hesitated. 'Ha-… Harry. It-it's Harry.'

Suddenly the voice inside was very quiet.

_I know you're in there_

_And you can make me wait_

_But I'm not gonna wait_

Harry swallowed. 'I know you're in there,' he said against the door. But no reply, nor did the door open. She could make him wait until the cows came home – he was staying until she opened the door.

_It's the least that I can do_

_Just to tell you face to face_

Even if there was someone new in her life. Even if she'd met someone else. He had to tell her he still loved her. Still needed her. Still wanted her. Still wanted her to be the one he hauled over his shoulder to march around the room with, still wanted it to be her forehead he kissed at night.

_I was lying to myself_

_And now I'm dying in this hell_

His heart tugged, twisted and turned in his chest. He was tempted to Alohomora the damned door and shake her until she said she loved him still.

But he didn't.

_I know you're mad_

_I can't blame you for being mad_

Maybe she was so angry at him she wanted him to suffer a little bit, so she was playing deaf and locking herself inside her flat. Harry smiled feebly at the thought. 'Cho?' he called, knocking again.

_If she coul__d see those tears he was crying_

_Touch his hands that wouldn't stop shaking_

_Hear his heart that was barely beating…_

She would see a different man.

Because here he was, now banging on her front door, his pride spilled on the floor, begging for forgiveness and a second chance.

He was crawling back to her.

'Cho?' he called again, after sufficiently slamming the door with his palm repeatedly. 'Cho!'

She didn't answer.

* * *

'Cho…' He leaned on the door, his forehead on the wooden panelling. 'Cho… Please. Just… Just-just open the door…' Harry's glasses were muddled with the salty tears. 'I… I'm sorry.' He knocked again. 'Cho?'

'…What?' came the reply.

Harry's grin was half glad and half relieved. 'Could you – could you open the door?' He was smiling to himself.

'…Why should I?'

'Because I love you.'

She paused. '…Love excuses don't count anymore.'

And because she opened the door, Harry nearly fell on top of her.

He couldn't say a word at the sight of her. Not a thing. His mouth went dry.

'What are you doing here?' she asked, leaning on the open door and dressed in boxers and a shirt as if she'd just gotten out of bed, but her hair was perfect.

_I'm holdin' on a rope_

_Got me ten feet off the ground_

Harry licked his lips. 'I-… The doorman downstairs let me in…' he began, unable to keep his gaze steady. _He'd been such a prat._

'I didn't ask how you got here, I asked why.' Her tone was cold, or at least was trying to be. Her eyes were unreadable.

_I'm hearing what you say_

_But I just can't make a sound_

'I love you,' said Harry helplessly.

_You tell me that you need me_

_Then you go and cut me down_

_But wait_

_You tell me that you're sorry_

At this, she almost laughed, but the sound was gone as soon as it came. 'I said love excuses don't count.' Her gaze pierced him. 'Not anymore.'

'I'm sorry,' said Harry, taking in a breath and nodding. 'I really am.'

_Didn't think I'd turn around and say_

'It's a little late for that.' Cho scoffed and shook her head. 'Apologies were due a long time ago.'

_That it's too late to apologise_

_It's too late_

'Better late than never,' said Harry, trying to smile. He wanted to hold her hand, but daren't reach for it.

She might set it on fire.

Cho considered him thoughtfully. She'd said it was too late to apologise, and it was. But was it too late to forgive? He'd figured out he was wrong.

'I'm a prat,' said Harry, looking down at the floor, 'And I'm an idiot. I know.'

So he'd figured that out too.

'And I know I don't deserve a second chance, and I don't deserve you, not anymore…'

Cho remained expressionless, but her ears were keen.

Harry looked up. 'But I'm asking anyway.'

_He was crawling back._

_It was too late to apologise._

_But was it too late to forgive?

* * *

_

'Just…' said Harry, suddenly out of breath, 'Just tell me what to do… I'll do anything.'

Cho opened the door wider and jerked her head towards the inside of her flat. 'Get in, sit down and shut up.'

As he passed her on the way in, she said, 'Once you've done that, then maybe you can start thinking about how you're going to make this up to me.'

Harry grinned.

_He'd eaten his words, had his pride shattered and had crawled on his hands on knees back to her._

_She'd said it was too late to apologise, but was considering forgiving him sometime._

'…Do the love excuses count now?'

'I thought I said shut up.'

* * *

Just a short oneshot THAT NO MATTER WHAT, I WILL NOT CONTINUE.

But please review anyway. You all must be used to how I love them by now.


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